Disney and Microsoft Head US CSR Index
12 November 2009 at 2:10 pm
Released by the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship and Reputation Institute, the index, based on a survey of consumers in the United States, shows the following companies in the top 10 positions:
- Walt Disney Company
- Microsoft
- Honda
- Johnson & Johnson
- PepsiCo.
- General Mills
- Kraft Foods
- Campbell Soup Company
- FedEx
The CSR Index is created using data collected for Reputation Institute’s 2009 Global Reputation Pulse Study. Researchers use a subset of survey results that focus on more than 200 companies with a dominant presence in the United States and believed to have a reasonably high recognition factor with the general public.
Chris Pinney, director of research and policy at the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship says the data captures public perception about a company’s corporate citizenship, governance and workplace practices in the United States.
Pinney says while the overall reputation of the American business sector has been tarnished with a broad brush, many individual companies still stand out as responsible leaders in the eyes of the public.
He says to build a reputation as a leader in corporate social responsibility, companies should focus on strong governance practices, positive working conditions, and a commitment to supporting the needs of communities and the environment.
On a scale of 1-to-100, the top-ranked Walt Disney Company scored 79.52 followed by Microsoft at 78.66, Google at 77.03, Honda of America at 76.65 and Johnson & Johnson at 76.57. Consumer-oriented companies make up the majority of the top 50 CSRI performers.
One of the biggest changes since the 2008 Index is the presence of seven value-conscious retailers on the list. In the 2009 CSR Index, Target, JC Penney, Kroger, Kohl’s and BJ’s Wholesale Club are new to the Top 50, joining Publix Super Markets, Costco Wholesale and Lowe’s, who made the list last year.
The research shows that the general public tends to rate makers of consumer products, computers and beverages higher along social dimensions. Industries that fall below the global average include banking, finance, oil and gas, utilities and telecommunications. Reputation Institute, which measures corporate reputation in more than 25 countries annually, notes that the U.S. public put a higher premium on ethics and governance practices.
The list can be downloaded at http://www.bcccc.net/pdf/CSRIIndex2009.pdf
